


My Tongue Always Got It Wrong

by capeofstorm



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Biphobia, Bisexuality, F/F, Homelessness, Pre-Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 10:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/620998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capeofstorm/pseuds/capeofstorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allison spots Erica by the side of the road in the middle of the night and decides to offer her a ride. She didn't really think it would end up with her offering a place to stay for Erica.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Tongue Always Got It Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [Dany](http://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfblood) and [Amy](http://archiveofourown.org/users/etacanis) for looking over this. And to [bookgodess15](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bookgodess15) for inspiring me to write this.
> 
> This is written for my [Teen Wolf Bingo](http://lena-reyes.livejournal.com/680.html) card, for my Allison/Erica wild card. The prompt I chose is "kicked out of home".
> 
> Title from Alex Clare's "Love You".

It’s well past midnight when Allison realises they’re out of aspirin. Her head’s been killing her for the past hour and rummaging through their still unpacked boxes provides fruitless. She shrugs on her jacket, grabbing her keys from the fruit bowl.

“Dad, I’m going to the store, I’ll be right back,” she shouts over her shoulder.

“Be careful,” her father shouts back just before she closes the door.

It’s middle of September, the night is still warm enough that she doesn’t have to turn on the heating in her car, the breeze is crisp and cool on her skin as she drives with the window rolled down. She lets her right hand hang out of the window, slicing the air, her eyes firmly on the road. The town is quiet and still, so much so that she can hear the electricity sparkling in the neon sign at the gas station when she pulls up.

She’s the only customer, her presence announced by the bell above the door. The clerk looks up from his magazine and nods at her before going back to reading. She walks through the aisles briskly, her eyes running over the brightly lit space. She feels uneasy for some reason, the hair at the back of her neck standing up, her back tensing. She reaches into the inner pocket of her jacket, making sure she has a knife strapped there just in case. Her steps echo loudly through the store, an offbeat staccato to the pop music streaming from the speakers.

Her fingers close around a box of Tylenol as she glances around nonchalantly. Her car’s still the only one in front of the gas station. She narrows her eyes when she sees a flash of blonde hair in the distance. Allison purses her lips, the box crumpling in her grip. She walks up to the counter quickly, hands over a ten dollar bill and leaves without waiting for her change.

She tears out of the gas station, spurred on by that glimpse of blonde hair. If she was right, she needed to catch her, needed to talk to her, to do something, anything. She lets out a shuddering breath when her car lights illuminate the tall blonde girl injeans and leather jacket. Allison drives up to her, rolling the other window down.

“Erica?”

Erica shoots her a disgruntled look, her eyes darting around, taking stock of situation, clearly looking for a way out. Allison squashes the urge to double over as if she’s been hit in the stomach when she realises she’s the reason for the uneasiness in Erica’s eyes.

“What do you want, Argent?” Erica spits out, still walking.

Allison lets the car roll slowly besides her, clearing her throat.

“I – Are you okay?” The question feels weird in her mouth, the syllables all wrong, the intent behind them one she had no right to voice.

Erica barks out a laugh, sharp and bitter and it nearly makes Allison recoil. She squares her shoulders, clenches her jaw and refuses to look away from Erica.

“I’m just peachy. Again, what do you want?”

Allison allows herself to look closer at Erica. Her hair is hanging in limp waves, matted and uncombed; her clothes look rumpled, her skin grey with what Allison suspects to be tiredness. She looks nearly as miserable as she did that night in the forest, Allison realises with a start.

“I wanted to see if you’re okay. It’s late, you shouldn’t be out alone, the Alphas are still here,” she forces out. “Get in, I’ll give you a ride home.”

“So you can put me in your basement again? I don’t think so, _hunter_ ,” Erica spits the word with venom.

Allison’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, turning her knuckles white. She leans over the seat, opening the door for Erica.

“We don’t live there anymore. C’mon, it’s the least I can do.”

“Even though I tried stealing your boyfriend?” Erica cocks her head to the side, clearly trying to get under Allison’s skin.

She startles out a laugh, she forgot about that. She forgot about the jealousy that crawled up her spine that day in the lab, the fierce stab of satisfaction when Erica went down after she caught the arrow coated with Kanima’s venom. It was so ludicrous that she was ever worried about another girl stealing her boyfriend when the world is full of monsters masquerading as humans. Like Gerard, like Kate, like Allison herself.

“I forgot about that,” she replies easily. “It seems like a lifetime ago.”

Allison does her best to smile at Erica, buoyed by the memory of being a careless teenage girl. What she wouldn’t give to go back to that time when she only had to worry about Scott and protecting Lydia. When she didn’t have to wonder if she should follow her mother’s footsteps, unable to make peace with the darkness in her soul, the part of her that thrilled with every arrow she let out of her crossbow, with every slash of her knife.

“Thanks but no thanks,” Erica shakes her head, her tongue darting out quickly to moisten her lips and Allison sucks in a sharp breath.

“Your parents must be worried about you,” she tries cajoling.

Her statement is met with more of that sharp laughter, a bitter grimace stretching on Erica’s lips.

“Oh, not at all. In fact, they are so not worried about me that they kicked me out. So no, you can’t give me a ride home. Go on, off with you. I’m sure you have _monsters_ to catch,” Erica drawls, purposefully extending her claws and scratching against the side of the car, leaving faint marks in the paint.

Allison steps on the brakes, jerking the car to halt suddenly. Her eyes are wide when she looks at Erica, who just stares back impassively.

“What? They kicked you out? Did they learn about the,” she gestures to Erica’s claws. “If so, I can get my dad to talk to them. Tell them it’s not all that bad – “

Erica snorts, crosses her arms across her chest, pushing her breasts higher up. She cocks her hip to the side, the perfect picture of arrogance if not for the way her hands shake, her breath coming out quicker than normal.

“No, they don’t know I’m a werewolf. Fuck, I’d have been carted over to a funny farm if they knew,” she shakes her head. “No, they couldn’t deal with the fact that their epileptic daughter is bisexual. Such a slut, you know? Skimpy clothes, fucking boys and girls, disappearing god knows where at all times of the night, running off with a _black_ boy, hanging out with that murderer Derek Hale, it’s all his fault that she turned away from god, became _depraved_ , started looking at girls that way!”

Erica’s tone is monotonous through her tirade but her body language is louder. She grips her elbows until her knuckles turn white, her shoulders hunching forward, her leg tapping restlessly against the asphalt. She runs a tongue over her teeth, giving Allison a sickeningly sweet smile.

“It’s not something you can fix, princess,” she says quietly, like she wishes it wasn’t true.

“What I can do is give you a place to stay. We haven’t finished unpacking yet but the bed in the spare bedroom is all set up,” the offer is out of her mouth before she can even consciously think it through. Erica looks as surprised as Allison feels but she doesn’t take it back. This is no longer about her trying to repent, about assuaging her guilt. It’s no longer about her; it’s about Erica, the girl who took on more than she should, who looked so content in her skin just a few months ago, who saw and went through more than she should at her age, some of it dealt by Allison’s hands.

They stay by the roadside, staring at one another for a long, tense while. Erica flexes her fingers, curling them around the door, leaning in, her breasts on display. Allison’s gaze darts to Erica’s cleavage and back up to her eyes in a heartbeat.

“Trying to redeem yourself?” Erica’s voice is surprisingly neutral.

“I mean it,” she says softly, ignoring the question. “It’s still dangerous out here. You don’t have to stay long if you don’t want. But at least let me help you tonight. I want to know you’re somewhere safe. I can help you look for somewhere to stay tomorrow if you don’t want to stay with us.”

“Your dad – “

“My dad will understand,” she says firmly.

Erica closes her eyes and nods slowly. She gets in the car, closing the door quietly behind her. Allison jumps slightly when she feels her phone vibrate in her jacket pocket. She reaches out for it and curses softly when she sees her father’s calling her.

“Hey Dad,” she answers the call.

“Allison, are you alright? You should be back home by now,” she hates the way her father’s voice sounds, so tired and full of concern.

“Yeah, I’m on my way now. I’m bringing a friend over. She needs a place to stay for tonight, her parents,” she glances at Erica, who stares at the road. “Her parents kicked her out and she has nowhere to go.”

The silence on the other end isn’t surprising. She hears her father sigh and can clearly imagine his expression – his eyes closed, his brows furrowed, his mouth pursed in a frown.

“Alright. I’ll find the spare duvet. Drive safe,” he says before disconnecting the call.

The drive back is filled with heavy, awkward silence. Allison can’t help glancing at Erica from the corner of her eye, her fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on the steering wheel.

“Do you have anything with you? Clothes?” She asks when they pull in front of Allison’s new home.

Erica shakes her head, pulling her leather jacket tighter around herself.

“No, didn’t get a chance to grab anything.”

“I can go with you tomorrow,” she offers quietly.

They stand in front of the house, looking at it. Allison puts her hands in her pockets, her fingers closing around the Tylenol she bought. She furrows her brows, realising her headache is gone.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Erica says.

“Or we can get Stiles – “

“No, I mean me being here. I – I’ll go to Boyd’s,” Erica turns around.

Allison doesn’t think, she reaches out, her fingers closing around Erica’s wrist in a firm grip. She tugs gently, just until Erica is facing her and takes in a deep breath.

“Look, I know you don’t have a reason to trust me. What I did to you was unforgivable and inexcusable. I’m taking full responsibility for what I did. But this isn’t about me trying to repent or silence my conscience. At least not anymore. You need a place to stay and we have a spare room. It’s totally your choice, you can take it or I can drive you to Boyd’s, or Derek’s. Just – just don’t wander around alone, okay?”

Erica looks at where their hands connect, not meeting Allison’s eye. She turns her hand around so that she can wrap her fingers around Allison’s wrist in return and squeezes briefly before letting go. Allison’s heart speeds up at the contact, her skin feeling warm long after they’re inside the house, Erica already settled in the spare bedroom.

She’s changed into her PJs, sitting cross legged on her bed, her fingers stroking the skin of her wrist tenderly. She listens to the soft breaths coming from behind the open door of the bedroom opposite to hers. Her lips quirk a bit as she lays down, her covers pulled up to her chin, and remembers how Erica’s fingers felt on her skin.

For the first time in months, she sleeps without dreams.


End file.
